Crankshaft alignment machines



June 21, 1955 w. H BROWN 2,711,205

CRANKSHAFT ALIGNMENT MACHINES Filed Oct. 7, 1952 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.1'

INVENTOR. Wllham Homer Brawn United States Patent ice CRANKSHAFTALIGNMENT MACHINES William Homer Brown, Amarillo, Tex. ApplicationOctober 7, 1952, Serial No. 313,539

2 Claims. c1. 153-52) This invention relates to means for detectingdisalignment in and straightening shafts, and more particularly forstraightening crankshafts of the kind including end main bearingjournals, offset journals and intermediate main bearing journals. V

Shafts of this character for different makes and models of engines, byway of example, vary in length as to the distance between end mainbearing journals and also the zone of greatest disalignment, either whenthe shaft is new or used, may not'always occur at the central zonebetween the end main bearing journals so that, in order to straightenthe shaft into axially aligned condition'as to the main bearingjournals, it may be necessary to stress the shaft by a pressure applyingdevice atom of the intermediate main bearing journals nearer to one ofthe end main bearing journals than the other, or it may be necessary tostress the shaft successively at two or more of the intermediate mainbearing journals.

It has been proposed in the past 'to provide shaftstraightening machineswhich are adapted'to receive shafts of different lengths and associatewith same pressure applying devices, such as a hydraulic ram, jack-likeunit, a prying instrument or lever, etc., but these machines have someobjectionable features in that they are either rather complicated inconstruction and take considerable and channels, in construction of themachine frame; andto provide work supports that are adjustable withrespect to the frame was to accommodate shafts of different lengths, asuitable bed for an alignment indicating means bodily movable thereuponwhereby test for disalignment may be made along the shaft to determinethezone of 1 greatest disalignment, and a bodily movable pressureapplying device carried by the'frame, so thatit may-be moved along theframe to a position where it may be used to stress the shaft at thatzone of greatest disalignment, without the necessity of moving the shaftlongi-' tudinally to a position in operative relation to the pressureapplying device for such purpose. Another object is to provide a machinewhich may use any of the many suitable hydraulic ram units, pump unitsmanually operable by a hand lever, and-flexibleconnecting hose availableon the open market'for the purpose of stressing theshaft to straightensame, and? so that the pump unit may be located at either end of themachine to be conveniently operated by either a left-handed orright-handed workman. Examples of such ram and pump units and hose areshown .in Pfauser 2,165,504 dated July 11, 1939.

Patented June 21, 1955 Other objects will appear in the followingdetailed description of a highly satisfactory embodiment-of myinvention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, and in which drawings: I

Fig. '1 is a front elevational view of a machine made according to thisinvention and showing a crankshaft in position for testing and forstressing if disaligned with respect to the main bearing journals.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, on the line 3-'3 of Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view partly in elevation and partly in verticalsection of a suitable work support, substantially on the line 4-4 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 5' is a view'partly in plan and partly in horizontal section of asuitable alignment indicating means for use in testing the shaft fordisalignment.

Fig. 6 is a view on an enlarged scale of the alignment indicating means,partly in rear elevation and partly in vertical section.

In the example shown, the machine comprises a frame 7including an upperhorizontal beam 8, serving as an upper elongated reaction member, and alower horizontal'beam 9, serving as an elongated base or lower reactionmemberj work supports 10 adjustable along the beam '9 and 'eachincluding an upright block 11 provided with a bearing 12 for receivingthe end main bearing journal 14 of a crankshaft 15; an alignmentindicating means 16 including an element 17 such as a rod forperipherally engaging anyone of a plurality of intermediate main bearingjournals 18 of the shaft. IlS'yand preferably a relatively heavybase19ma'chine surfaced 'at its bottom, freely slidable ,upon a planarsurface '20 of thebeam 9; a carriage 21 slidable along the beam 8; and apressure applying device 22 supported by and depending from the carriage21 and including a vertically movable element 24, equipped with acontacting appliance 25 for engagement upon any one of the journals 18of s'haft15. V

In the example shown, the pressure applying device 22"is 'a'ramincluding an hydraulic cylinder 27 and the.

element 24 is a plunger, the upper end portion of which operates in thecylinder and is retracted by a spring, not" shown in thedrawing, in thewell known manner when pressure is relieved in the bore of the cylinder.Associated with the device 22, in the example shown, is'a pump unit 28,mounted upon a shelf 29 carried by frame 7 adjacent to the right end ofbeam 9, and in=. eluding a cylinder 30, a hand operated lever 31 and arelief valve 32; a flexible hose 33 operatively connecting the cylinders27 and 30; and a pressure gage 34 conveniently disposed adjacent tocylinder 27 for indicating'pressure in the latter. Suitablecharacteristics, of most of these elements will be found in theaforesaid Patent 2,165,504.

Theframe 7 preferably includes beams 8 and 9. of 1- section disposedwith the webs 35 in the same common vertical plane. The under face 36 ofthe lower flange 37 of beam 9 is machine surfaced to provide a smoothface for a portion of the carriage 21 to engage, and the upper flange 38of beam 9 is also machine surfaced to provide the planar surface 20 forsurface contact with base 19 of the alignment indicating means 16 andthe portions of the work supports 10'as hereinafter described.

Thelower flange 39 of beam 9 need not be machine surfaced. The frame 7alsoincludes standards 49 of channel cross-section to which the ends ofbeams 8 and 9 are welded, 'asby welds 41 to the web '42 and by welds43-to the flanges 44 of the standards. --Thestandards are mounted. uponthe. midaportions ofrailsj46 and secured thereto by welds 47. Thus avery sturdy frame is provided which may be placed broadside, close to awall.

The work supports each includes a horizontal base plate 48 to which theblock 11 is symmetrically secured by weld 50, the plate having itsunderside 51 machine surfaced for engagement upon the machined or planarsurface 26 of beam 9 and is made sufficiently long in a directiontransversely of the beam to provide projecting portions 52. to theundersides of which are secured the tops of front and rear verticalplates 53 asby welds 54. These plates extend slightly below the planeofthe bottom of flange 39 of beam 9 and a cross bar 55, carrying a setscrew 56, is detachably secured to the under portions of plates 53 as bybolts 57. By this arrangement, the work supports 10 may be assembled onor removed from the beam 9 and adjusted longitudinally of the beam toposition them according to the spacing ofthe end main bearing journalsof the shaft and retained in place by the set screw 56 turned tightagainst the under surface of the beam. The bearing-12 of each block 11may be of any suitable type, but in the example shown is in the natureof a recess, the bottom walls 58 of which converge downwardly to an apex59, thus adapting the blocks to receive journals of various diameters.

The alignment indicating means 16 in the example shown includes, inaddition to the rod 17 and base 19, spaced standards 61, mounted uponone end portion of the base 19, between the upper portions of which thecentral portion of a pivot bar 62 is disposed and adjustably secured inplace by a clamp bolt 63 equipped with a wing nut 64, the shank of thebolt extending through aligned apertures 65 and 66 in the upper ends ofthe standards 61 and the central portion of the bar 62. By means ofupstanding guides 67, at the ends of thebar 62, the rod 17 islongitudinally slidable through apertures 68 in the upper portions ofthe guides. the rod is for engagement with the selected main hearingjournal of the shaft to be tested and operated on and the other end 70is in operative relation to a gage 71 calibrated in any suitable manner,such as for measurements to the thousandths of an inch each side of azero grad-v uation 72 with which an indicator hand 73 is associated. Bythis arrangement the alignment indicating means mayv be moved by slidingthe same upon the planar surface 20 to an approximate position fortesting the shaft at the selected zone, and if necessary the partsadjustedso that the rod 17 has its axis normal to the axis of thejournal.

in the selected zone, as by manipulation of the clamp bolt 63, nut 64and pivot bar 62 (according to the diameter of the particular journal ofthe shaft while resting upon the work supports 10). By rotating theshaft while the end 69 of rod 17 engages the journal in the zone of theshaft undergoingtest, the alignment indicating means may be manipulatedto determinethe extent,.

if any, to which the shaft is disaligned marking the zone of greatestdisalignment, and the value of the graduation at which the hand 73 stopsin its movement away from the zero graduation. This test may be repeatedat each intermediate main bearing journal to determine thezone ofthe-shaft which has the greatest disalignment and so marked is the zoneof application of force by use of the pressure applying device 22 tostress or straighten the shaft into an aligned condition, in the wellknown manner.

The carriage 21 is preferably made of a horizontal plate 75, the upperface of which is machine surfaced for engagement with the underface 36of flange 37, and attaching members 76 of angular cross-section, one atthe front edge and one at the rear edge of the plate, the one flange 77of each being attached in any suitable. manner to its respective edge ofthe plate, and the other flange 78 of the member 76, riding freely uponthe upper surface 79 of the beam flange 37. n

The plate 75 is provided with a centrally disposed screw threadedaperture 80 for the reception of a stud bolt 81 which is also in screwthreaded engagement with" One end 69 of the cylinder 27 of ram" unit ata'recess 82 in the upper I end of the cylinder. This recess is found inram cylinders in common use as is shown in the aforesaid Patent2,165,504.

The contacting appliance 25 may be of any suitable or approved type andin the example shown is provided with a downwardly opening recess 83 thewalls 84 of which converge upwardly to an apex 85 whereby the,

. journal acted upon by the pressure applying device will have linecontact with the walls 84, regardless of the diameter of the journal. Inpractice I have found that,

by machining the walls 84 of recess'83 each at an angle of 70 tothevertical, the two line contacts between appliance 25 and thejournalof the shaft acted upon distributes the force so that the chanceof leaving a dent in the journal is greatly reduced, also stability isprovided to overcome any tendency of the ram jumping off the shaft athigh pressure.

It may be noted that, in the. example shownand espressure applyingmember 24 and bearings 12 of the work supporting blocks 10.

.The approved procedure in using the machine is to first.

position the shaft .to be testedlwith the end main jour-w nalsin. thebearings 12,of.blocks 10. '-In practice it has f bcenfound that theblock 10 nearest the pump unitl28.

seldomv needs. to. be moved it initiallyplacedabout 6;'. from theadjacent standard 40; the other block 10 being. adjustedalongthe beam 9and fixed as by turning set, screw 56 tight against beam 9, according tothe distance between the journals 14 of..the shaft.

It is good practice to lubricate these journals 14 and bearings 12 toallow easy rolling oftheshaft. The intermediate journals 18 are thenacted upon by the alignment indicating I means 17, in succession, todetermine the zoneof greats est disalignment, if any, in the shaft. .Themeans 16 is movable upon the planar surface 20, but due to its weight.

need notbe held by hand in a selected. position-while.

making tests. .The means 16 is renderedadjustable, as by loosening thenut 64 and changing the position of bar 1 62, and parts carried thereby,'untilthe axis :of rod 17:

pointsdirectly toward the center line of the. shaft when the end 69oftherod contacts the periphery of the journaljbeing tested, afterwhichthe nut 64 should be turned tight. Adjustment ofv the means 16.. may benecessaryonly when changing to a testing operation. of a 'shaft.havingjournals .18 of greater orless diameter than thdse of a shaft previouslytested and for which the means 16* a was properly-adjusted,

With the means 16 properly adjusted and with. the end a 69 of rod 17contacting the journal 18'to'be tested, the.

operator rotates the shaft 15,by hand to determine any rumour byobserving the hand 73, noting the extent of runrout (if the hand doesnot point atall times to zero). i

and mark, as by use of chalk, the spot of greatestldisalignment. .Thistesting procedure is then. followedin connection with each journal 18 ofthe shaft, to'deterrnine which particular one shows disalig'nment to thegreatest;

Whenthis is determined, the carriage :21 -isreferred to. Also, it isimportant to note that the journalf 18 having the greatest run-out maybe one adjacent to,

or it may be one quite remote from either end journal l l, and it is notnecessaryto move the shaft- 15 and blocks-10;. to aposition with respectto the'pressure applying device 22 for operation upon that particularjournal 18.

In-the example shown, the device 22 is operatedby; hand manipulation ofthe lever 31,the operator observing.

It will be noted that the preferred formation of-'. the recess 83 has notendency to remove the chalk mark the gage 34 so as to build up thepressure which experience has taught him appropriate for a firststressing of the shaft. In practice I have found approximately 1000 lbs.is suitable. This is followed in succession by manipulation of therelief valve 32, testing with the means 16 while rotating the shaft 15,and subsequent stressing of the shaft at the opposite side from that towhich pressure was previously applied and testing until the hand 73 doesnot deviate from the zero graduation upon rotation of the shaft. This isdone to break down molecular stresses which caused the shaft to bedisaligned, either through some such cause as defective cooling methodswhen manufactured, through use or accident. There are occasions wherethe shaft to be acted upon has a double bend, that is, one journal 18running out in one direction and another journal 18 in anotherdirection. This requires acting upon each of such journals by the means16 and device 22 until the former shows no disalignment at any of thebearings 18. However, the support of the device 22, by carriage 21 onthe upper reaction member 8 also greatly facilitates this operation.

It will be noted that the machine is very symmetrical. If it is desiredthat the pump unit 28 be located on the left end of the machine forconvenient operation by a left-handed person to manipulate the lever 31,the machine may be turned end for end, the hose 33 brought in back ofthe machine and the pump unit 28 changed end to end and again secured tothe shelf 29.

I claim:

1. A machine for straightening a crankshaft of the type including endmain bearing journals and intermediate main bearing journals, comprisinga frame including parallel upper and lower spaced apart, horizontalI-beams disposed with their webs in the same common vertical plane,spaced apart work supports carried by and movable longitudinally of saidlower beam, each of said supports comprising a horizontal plate at leastcoextensive with the width and slidably engaging the upper face of theupper flange of said lower beam, retaining means carried by said platereleasably engaging said lower beam for retaining it in adjustable fixedrelation with said lower beam, and a bearing disposed above and carriedby said plate, said bearings of said work supports disposed with theiraxes aligned in the said common plane, for receiving the end bearingjournals of the crankshaft, a carriage comprising a horizontallydisposed plate coextensive with the width and slidably engaging theunder face of the lower flange of said upper beam, and attaching membersat opposite sides of said plate including flanges engaging upon andslidable along the lower flange of said upper beam, a pressure applyingdevice, including a vertically movable plunger, secured to said plateand extending downwardly from the underside thereof with the axis of theplunger in the plane common to the webs of said beams, and a contactingappliance on the lower end of said plunger for engagement upon aselected intermediate main bearing journal of the crankshaft to bestraightened.

2. The machine for straightening a crankshaft as specifled in claim 1 inwhich the said retaining means of each work support comprises verticalplates at each side of said lower beam depending from the ends of itssaid horizontal plate, a cross bar connected to the lower portions ofsaid vertical plates, and a set screw carried by said cross bar, theaxis of said set screw being in said common plane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS736,834 Flinn Aug. 18, 1903 1,137,132 Gross Apr. 27, 1915 1,571,622..Briggs Feb. 2, 1926' 1,605,310 Weaver Nov. 2, 1926. 1,646,260 SchiltzOct. 18, 1927 1,758,451 Manley May 13, 1930 2,233,371 Smith Feb. 25,1941

